Raccoons in the wild have a very short life span but raccoons in captivity have shown a long life span up to ten or more years, as long as seventeen in some cases. Males live shorter lives than females but babies are often killed off by other males at an alarming rate. Most raccoons in the wild live to be 3 to 5 years old but some males have found territory they can protect with lots of food access and can get as old as seven. Females are aware of this and do their best to hide their infants from other males. They will often break into a human dwelling like under a deck or in your attic which is one of the common places to hide for females that are pregnant. Once they are in they must prepare and give birth. This usually happens in the early spring but can happen sooner, as early as February. If you evict the mother from her home before they give birth it will be fast, easier and cheaper. Getting a mother with babies out is very difficult and she may try to return and make a new entryway. This occupying of spaces and wandering on human properties is not why they have such a short life span.
They are a protected wildlife species and most people are aware of that. If they cause damage you can chase them off but in truth, there is no humane way to keep them away then to ensure that when they do come they find no food or water or easy access into your home. The most likely way for a raccoon to die is to get rabies or be hit by a motor vehicle. There are also many incidents of drowning as raccoons wash their food in water and are often unaware a pool has chlorine or a hot tub is very hot. This is simple and requires nothing but preparation and basic common sense. If you have animals on your property check to see where they are going and what they are doing. Are they eating something specific or defecating on something specific? If they are, remove it and see if that changes anything. Going so far as to remove a problematic berry bush or fruit tree is much harder and more expensive than locking up your garbage and taking down bird feeders. Just make sure no food or water is left out for them. That includes pet food.